Grace Christian wins third straight FCC soccer title

Posted Oct 26, 2009 by Nick Murray

Updated Oct 26, 2009 at 02:26 PM

Alex Lanfranconi scored twice, including the game-winner with six minutes, to lead Grace Christian’s boys soccer team to its third consecutive Florida Christian Conference title with a 2-1 victory against Land O’ Lakes Christian on Saturday afternoon.

Lanfranconi gave the Patriots the lead with only 42 seconds gone, picking up a long ball to the corner before coming inside and scoring from a tight angle. Land O’ Lakes hit back just before the midway point of the half, though, and it carried the game from that point, pressing for a second goal and controlling play in midfield.

“They kind of controlled the middle 40 minutes,” Grace Christian coach Barry McKeen said. “We dodged a number of bullets on set pieces and corner kicks, and we were kind of losing the battle in the midfield.”

With Land O’ Lakes still in control at the second half water break, McKeen took the opportunity to try and rally his team.

“We just brought them over in that water break and said, ‘look, it’s 1-1, your whole season is here in these 20 minutes,’ “ McKeen said. “I really thought we were getting dominated there for a while. We were getting beat to a lot of 50-50s, balls in the air they were winning. We were just trying to motivate our kids that this is all you’ve got left here.”

The talk appeared to lift the Patriots, and with six minutes to go Jonathan James found Lanfranconi inside the penalty area. Lanfranconi turned and shot the ball home from 12 yards out, giving his side victory.

The Patriots were already scheduled to compete at the NACA Boys soccer championship in Dayton, Tenn. which begins on Nov.2, but now go as the three-time defending FACA champions.